My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I stared at them. I made my way toward the center of the hall.
"Will you be my mate, Lyra?" Theo asked, his eyes filled with raw emotions.
I stood frozen, feeling shocked as my heart broke into pieces. Each piece hurt like a sharp stab in my chest. My eyes, which were once hopeful, now widened in disbelief as I couldn't look away from what was happening in front of me.
I know that Lyra lost her mate two years ago when the warriors caught a rogue sniffing around the border and killed him. But why Theo?
"Yes!!" Lyra squealed, as tears of joy gleamed in her eyes when Theo put the ring on her finger.
Reality struck me suddenly, like a gust of wind. I took a step back involuntarily, my heart racing as I tried to make sense of the unexpected turn of events. We were supposed to announce 'us' to the pack, not this.
My entire world was collapsing before me. Thoughts swirled in my mind, questioning our mate bond. I was confused.
I thought mates were meant to only love each other. How could he ignore our bond like it meant nothing? These thoughts flooded my mind all at once, and tears swelled up in my eyes.
I summoned the courage to walk up to him, but he dismissed me and went to where Alpha Griffin and Luna Belle were seated.
"Greetings, Alpha and Luna," he greeted, bowing and kneeling on one knee "I would like to seek your permission to mark your daughter, Lyra," he requested, gazing into her eyes affectionately-the same way he looked at me last night, or so he made me believe.
His words echoed in my mind, and the pain emanating from my wounded heart intensified with each passing second, threatening to consume me completely.
"No!!" I screamed, as my voice echoed in the hall and everyone turned in my direction. I clasped my head with my trembling hands,
"This can't happen- it can't!" I mumbled under my breath.
"No!" My wolf, Tiara, growled too. She was hurting like I was, she couldn't bear the thought of our mate rejecting us after the mating and the promises he made. He chose Lyra over us. "Whose pup is this?" Alpha Griffin frowned, pointing at me.
"She is Rose's, the omega's," Luna Belle spat with disgust. Mother came quickly to hold me from wherever she stood. I could tell she was confused by my outburst. I have always been obedient.
"If you don't watch your pup," Alpha Griffin growled at my mother "I will send her to the dungeon,"
My mother quickly shook her head and bowed. She apologized for my attitude when Theo opened his mouth to speak.
"Actually, Alpha- she is a mistake made by the moon goddess," he said, causing everyone to gasp in the hall. Tears streamed down my cheeks.
My mate just called me a mistake.
"Everyone here knows that Lyra and I are destined mates right from childhood," he continued and everyone nodded in agreement
"I don't understand, why?" I asked softly but my mother clasped my mouth shut with her palm, begging me to be quiet. I sobbed hard.
I could not believe that Theo, who professed his love to me the night before, could be this cruel.
The love and affection I saw in his eyes were different from the glare I was getting "Dimwit, why won't you understand?" He scoffed at me, "You are an omega- a weakling of a mate. You are of no use to a powerful breed like me!' he said flatly, and everyone howled in his favor. My knees suddenly went weak and slumped to the floor. His every word pierced my heart.
"That's good," Alpha Griffin said, beaming with smiles as he stood up from his chair to hug Theo. Then he held Lyra and Theo's hand and joined them together. Everyone in the hall applauded them and I felt so betrayed, Nova and Alice held my shoulders consolingly while Olivia was already sobbing.
How could a pack be so inconsiderate? Everyone is just concerned about pleasing the Alpha and his family. My mother pulled me from the ground to usher us out of the hall when Lyra spoke.
"Eden," her sultry mocking voice said. I pushed back the tears and faced her "Whatever you had with Theo was allowed by me," she said, smiling sweetly as everyone fawned at her thinking she was so kind
"I was in the know because I wanted him to enjoy his mate one last time- even though he hated the idea. You repulsed him, but anyways, he is going to get married, and he is going to be the Alpha, and I, your Luna," she smirked.
I looked away, pushing back my tears but they warmed my cheeks. It hurt so much that they would do this to me, and I was helpless.
I can't be mad at Lyra, it was Theo that I should be mad at. He was the mate that betrayed me. He fooled me, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't be angry at Theo. The mate bond was still there.
Maybe it was a prank, maybe he has some explaining to do. I took a deep breath and searched for those emerald eyes I fell in love with. He was standing rootedly beside Lyra.
"Eden, this is meant to be. You can't do anything but accept our decision- and I love Lyra," he stared at her affectionately as he kissed her forehead.
I shook my head in denial "I don't believe that," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper "What we had last night was beautiful. Didn't it mean something to you?" I said in between sobs.
"It was just an activity. One time thing!' he snarled, bearing out his claws "Let's not make this any more complicated than it already is," he turned to look at everyone "With all the pack members of the Silver Moon being present and bearing witness, I, Theo Jaxon Redwood, son of Beta Jaxon Redwood, hereby reject you Eden Ava Willow, daughter of Rose Willow as my mate!"
My wolf cried and howled in pain.
Lyra looked at me with a wicked smile tugging at her lips. She pulled Theo's jaw for a kiss and he wrapped his arm around her waist.
I fell to the ground, this time clutching at my chest as they laughed at me. It hurt so much. It felt like they just plunged a knife into my chest and twisted it. Tiara curled up in pain and became silent.